Transportation

AAPD promotes equal access to transportation for people with disabilities, including promoting improved accessibility in public transportation and substantial investment in accessible transit options and transit-oriented development.

Access to affordable and reliable transportation allows people with disabilities important opportunities in education, employment, healthcare, housing and participation in community life. Because our nation’s investments in transportation infrastructure have disproportionately favored cars and highways, those who cannot afford cars or do not operate cars often lack viable transportation options. People with disabilities—particularly in rural areas—need accessible, affordable transportation options that bring employment, health care, education, and community life within reach.

Transportation Equity

AAPD works to ensure equal access to reliable, affordable transportation for people with disabilities by advocating for federal transportation investments that connect people with disabilities to employment opportunities, health care, education, and community. AAPD is a member of the Leadership Conference Transportation Equity Coalition.

At a time of high unemployment and unprecedented income inequality, equity in transportation policy is one of the most pressing civil and human rights issues our nation faces.

Our nation’s transportation investments are particularly crucial for Americans with disabilities, who disproportionately utilize non-automobile transit options such as rail, buses, and pedestrian-friendly development. The surface transportation reauthorization bill allocates federal funding to infrastructure repair and new transportation needs. AAPD works with a broad coalition of organizations to promote investments in accessible, affordable transportation that connects people with disabilities to employment opportunities, health care providers, and educational institutions, promoting full participation in public life.

Laws on Accessibility in Transportation

There are several federal laws that address transportation access for people with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Air Carrier Access Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in public transportation services, such as city buses and public rail (subways, commuter trains, etc.). Public transportation services must:

Comply with accessibility requirements in newly purchased vehicles

Make good faith efforts to purchase or lease accessible used buses

Remanufacture buses in an accessible manner

Provide paratransit (assisted transportation) where they operate fixed route bus or rail systems, unless it would cause an undue burden

Air Carrier Access Act

The Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination by U.S. or foreign air carriers on the basis of disability and requires airlines to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.

Carriers may not:

Refuse transportation to people on the basis of disability

Require advance notice that a person with a disability is traveling

Limit the number of people with disabilities on a flight

Require a person with a disability to travel with an attendant, except in certain limited circumstances

Carriers must make airplanes accessible and provide certain services and accommodations for passengers with disabilities, including boarding assistance and allowances for assistive devices. For more information on air travel for people with disabilities, click here.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in any programs receiving federal funds. Recipients of Federal aid and state and local entities that are responsible for roadways and pedestrian facilities must therefore ensure equal access for people with disabilities to roads and sidewalks, rest areas and pedestrian overpasses and underpasses. For more information on Section 504, click here.

Complaints

To file a complaint regarding public transportation accessibility under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, click here. To file a complaint regarding air travel, click here.